Dealing with Unbelief

In Mark 9:24, the father of a sick child cries out to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Jesus tells this father in the verse before that all things are possible for anyone who believes (v.23). These verses remind us that even when we have faith, we can still struggle with unbelief. It’s okay to admit that we don’t have all the answers and that we need God’s help to believe more fully.

As we spend more time getting to know Jesus and interacting with him, as well as spend time in community with other believers, we gain a better understanding of what God wants us to do. This fuels our belief. And carrying belief is important because it helps us to make a difference in the lives of other people. When we go into our workplaces, we should believe that the best things that we can imagine will happen for the people around us. We should believe that they will grow in their knowledge of Jesus, that they will be drawn closer to him, and that they will experience more joy in this life. We accomplish this by praying to God, “Here I am. What would you like me to do?”

Failure to believe that Jesus is just who he said he is doesn’t give him an opportunity to do his best work, or any work for that matter. If we are intentional in our pursuit of God, confessing that at times we need help with our unbelief, Jesus is able to work with that confession. After he works on us, he can highlight opportunities for us to share our faith and serve those around us.